>> so what ends up happening is

they inspire people and they think, let's take it to the next level, let's be our own al qaeda group. >> reporter: yet there was no follow-up investigation when the fbi learned last december that major hasan had sent as many as 20 e-mails to awlaki. awlaki refers to his followers as soldiers of allah, soas. so too does major hasan. on business cards we found in his apartment he makes no mention of his military affiliation but lists himself as soa, soldier of allah. brian ross, abc news, new york. a former congressman will be sentenced today in a federal bribery case. louisiana democrat william jefferson was convicted in august of bribery, racketeering, and other crimes. the case made headlines when authorities found $90,000 in cash hidden in his freezer. prosecutors want jefferson sentenced to at least 27 years in prison starting immediately. sarah palin's book "going rogue" is released tuesday and oprah winfrey has already interviewed the former alaska governor and vice presidential

candidate. the associated press got an advance copy of the tell-all book. >> reporter: oprah winfrey released portions of monday's prerecorded interview with sarah palin just before palin's ghost-written book "going rogue" goes on sale. palin confirms there was tension during last year's campaign with john mccain and claims aides kept her away from reporters. then there was the katie couric interview. >> do you think that was a seminal, defining moment for you, that interview? >> i did not and neither did the campaign. in fact, that is why segment two and three and four and maybe five were scheduled. the campaign said, right on, good, you're showing your independence, this is what america needs to see. it was a good interview. and of course i'm thinking, if you thought that was a good interview, i don't know what a bad interview was. because i knew it wasn't a good interview. >> reporter: just before palin resigned as alaska's governor she reveals in the book her legal bills topped $500,000 due mostly to ethics complaints.

there's a $50,000 legal bill linked to the mccain campaign, part of the cost of vetting her. then a family matter involving levi johnston, father of her grandson. >> he is part of the family. he needs that too. i think he needs to know that he is loved and he has the most beautiful child. and this can all work out for good. it really can. we don't have to keep going down this road of controversy and drama all the time. >> as for palin's claim she was billed for her own vetting expenses, senator mccain's campaign counsel denies that. oprah winfrey asked palin if levi johnston would be invited to thanksgiving dinner. we'll have to tune in monday to find out the answer to that. for a job well done, children often get lollipops and ice cream as a treat. >> but at an elementary in green bay, wisconsin, they went a step further. the principal and vice principal let students turn them into human ice cream sundaes. the students got to pour on tasty toppings including syrup,

pineapples and whipped cream. >> reminds me of that nickelodeon show "double dare." it's a way of awarding students for meeting their reading goal. >> i'm sure you lick your cheek as you're going on. >> igds. i guess so. we'll be right back with more "world news now."

welcome back. as we mentioned earlier, president obama is now in japan. while he's there he won't be venturing outside tokyo. >> and that's not what many japanese wanted to hear. especially in the city that has the name the president has. margaret connelly reports from obama city, japan. >> reporter: far from the bustling city of tokyo, a five-hour journey by train is a coastal town along the sea of japan. now famous for its name. from street banners and taxis to

obscure souvenirs, this town reaches out to the president from the other side of the world. at obama city hall, the mayor shows us correspondence with the white house. photographs and notes of thanks from the president and michelle for the city's gifts and letters. mayor says it's not a one-way thing. featured on this chocolate cake box along with slogans for world peace. the president and i have the same face, he says, the only difference is the hairstyle. people say we have the same ears. in this port town of 30,000 people fishing has long been the main industry. increasingly the people in this town are cashing in on the obama name. and there's even a place to pick a donation to the city. a city filled with old temples and shrines. with street vendors selling mackerel. it is a former gateway for trade that has not always had a vibrant past. in 1978 obama was one of the

places where citizens were abducted by north korea. but the immediate focus here is on a namesake. and residents' efforts appear to be paying off. since branding his red bean dessert cakes "obama," business has been up 20%. this branding is boosting sales, as well as spirits. yasser norima ayno is the man behind this city's obama design. we already have polo shirts, he says. but quirky products like underwear and socks. we're saving the fun for when he actually comes. be obama for obama. here, it starts with a name. margaret connelly, abc news, obama city, japan. >> you can understand why they're making so much in terms of the marketing of the name. in case you're wondering what obama means, it means "little beach" in japanese. >> how about that. also the mayor is going to commission a statue of president obama to put out there as a token of the great historical moment for the name obama, and

they're going to have an obama day on november 4th. now, whether it's as good as vinita nair day was october 10th in vinita, oklahoma, remains to be seen. >> what did you say was happening next october 10th they were judging? >> a rocky mountain oyster contest. rocky mountain oysters are the gonads -- the reproductive -- >> that's what they asked to us judge. doomsday is the day at the theater. >> "2012" shows us the end of the world. what scientists have to say about the hollywood production up next.

today today "2012" the movie opens at a theater near you. you're going to see it this weekend. you'll review it monday. it deals with what some believe will be the end of the world. >> while some are taking

exception to the doom and gloom, others are saying it is just a movie. carla wohl is in hollywood. >> reporter: this is hollywood's version of the end of the world. cat clis pick mix of earthquakes and asteroids. it's the movie "2012" and it's stirring up real fears. >> everything is possible. i don't know, thinking about it scares me. >> reporter: in the movie the world's destruction is brought on by the end of the maya calendar. in 2012, a 5,000-year period of the calendar does come to a close. leaving to various doomsday predictions like a planet colliding with earth. the concern is so great some scientists are being flooded with e-mails and calls and have set up websites to debunk the notion that something from outer space is headed our way that will end the world. >> there's no phantom planet headed our way, there's nothing crazy the sun is going to do, and we are not lining up with the center of the milky way galaxy. >> reporter: and in fact, on the

red carpet the stars of "2012" are not dressed for disaster. >> it could happen. i hope it doesn't happen. i want to live to 16 to drive. >> reporter: director roland emerich shrugs off concerns the movie is exploiting people's fears. >> i think it's pretty clear it's a movie. anybody comes out of a hollywood movie and says it's reality, i think you should not go to movies anymore. >> reporter: as for what the end of the maya calendar really does mean, scientists say, nothing. the movie about that wouldn't sell any tickets. carla wohl, abc news, hollywood. >> i'm seeing it as part of the job, obviously. but it hasn't been getting very good reviews. >> rot tonto mate toes has something like a 34. >> someone else wrote, the film contains approximately 6 billion acts of violence. >> oh. >> os will at least enjoy it. whale we're talking about entertainment stuff, how about that taylor swift. >> taylor swift had a big night

the other night. at least from what we've been hearing from john berman. >> reporter: it might have been the best night ever. >> taylor swift. >> taylor swift. >> taylor swift. >> reporter: in a long line of best nights ever. >> everything that i have ever wanted has just happened to me. >> reporter: everything she ever wanted by age 19. imagine what she can pull off by 21. ♪ >> reporter: last year, taylor swift sold more albums than any artist in any genre. she sold out l.a. staples center in two minutes. and when she hosted "saturday night live" -- ♪ that was my snl monologue >> reporter: it was the highest-rated show of the season. she even weathered that bizarre moment with kanye west at the vmas. she's flat-out the biggest thing in country and for country. is she just a country star? >> taylor swift is a genre of

her own now. she's actually beyond country. nothing is really ever aimed at that young market in country. ♪ she wears short skirts i wear t-shirts ♪ ♪ she's cheer captain i'm on the bleachers ♪ >> reporter: the native pennsylvanian writes mostly about the regular fun and frustration of being a regular teenager. >> i get to see those songs go out into the world and become something that you can hear playing out of a 16-year-old girl's car speaker. >> reporter: she constantly posts on twitter and my space so fans can see her regular life. as for all the success, swift says she still can't believe it's all happening. >> this is like one of the best days ever. i -- i -- i know i say that too much. >> reporter: by the looks of it, there are more best days to come. john berman, abc news, new york. >> i like her. she seems like a sweetheart. my brother's a deejay and he met her and had her record a message for my niece and nephew. she was so nice about it too.

peter, what have you been saying? she's going to be an actress, right? you're right, next year she makes her feature film debut in a movie called "valentine's day." >> this past year she made $18 million according to "forbes." or scooter at little to no ar cost to you. stay tuned for this important medicare benefit information and free scooter guarantee. imagine... one scooter or power chair that could improve your may entitle you to pay little to nothing to own it. one company that can make it all happen ... your power chair will be paid in full. the scooter store. why should you call the scooter store today? because their mobility experts are also medicare experts. and that means the scooter store is your best shot at qualifying for a scooter that costs you little to nothing. hi i'm doug harrison. pay little to nothing out of pocket.

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if you experience any of these behaviors or reactions contact your doctor immediately. wake up ready for your day- ask your healthcare provider for 2-layer ambien cr. "world news now" delivers your "morning papers." >> are you ready to see the novelty bra of all novelty. [ s, mr. hubbard? take a look at this bad boy. it is called the nice cup in bra. what is it, you ask? >> i do wonder. >> that is japan's attempt to appeal to japan's busy golfing women. what it is is a green corset-style garment that can be removed and unrolled to create a 1 1/2 meter long putting mat. it gets even worse. when you seink a putt a built-i speaker pumps out a congratulatory "nice shot." there's pockets for extra balls,

golf tees. if you go back to the first picture, the skirt, on the back side it says "be quiet." it's also something you can use as a flag marker. although you'd be bottomless. >> if the guy has trouble getting it off he can get a mulligan, i guess. there's a new world record holder for pulling the most weight with your hair. this happened over in britain. he pulled a truck that weighed 8 1/2 tons with his hair and ribbons attached. i think this is nothing compared to a little bit of hair pulling that we've seen around here. >> thank you, leno. >> it's polka time! ♪ ♪ politics and foreign wars all the weather all the scores ♪ ♪ that's the world news polka ♪ scraps and filler from the day long as we don't have to pay ♪ ♪ that's the world news polka

♪ it's late at night you're wide awake and you're not wearing pants ♪ ♪ so turn on world news now and let's everybody dance ♪ ♪ have some fun be a pal every anchor guy and gal ♪ ♪ do the world news polka ♪ that's the world news polka ♪ basic cable customers only ♪ that's the world news polka ♪ it's no viral video that people play and play ♪ ♪ it's more like an infection that you can't make go away ♪ ♪ listen once to this refrain and it's burned into your brain ♪ ♪ that's the world news polka ♪ they give us no budget no respect or camera crews ♪ ♪ we're the ugly betty of this high class network's news ♪ ♪ but it's true at any cost we'd be desperate we'd be lost ♪

♪ without the world news polka ♪ it's the

it's tough out here. the days are long. the nights get lonely. but we have a job to do. we have responsibilities. we have a commitment to our country to our families our wives and husbands our children our grandchildren and to each other. the uso is a bond that we share to help us stay close here at home and far away. the uso is always there because we need them they need us and we need you. [male announcer] this is how america supports our troops. the uso depends on the generosity of the american people, people just like you. to find out more about how you can help visit our website at uso dot org.

the uso until every one comes home. the legal drama involving a colorado man and his wife behind the big balloon hoax. >> they put on a very good show for us. and we bought it. >> the couple's expected guilty pleas and likely punishment. then, military matters. president obama's latest move on afghanistan as he visits troops on his way to asia. and, dynamic destination. who's encouraging you to take a vacation in iraq. it's friday, november 13th. >> from abc news, this is "world news now." >> i forgot it was friday the 13th. now i'm going to have to stay inside and cower in fear all day >> i thought that's why we were

both dressed in black. >> mine's blue, get it right. >> looks good whatever it is. >> oh, thank you. good morning on this friday. i'm jeremy hubbard. >> i'm vinita nair. the colorado parents who said their 6-year-old accidentally flew away in a helium balloon last month have a deal but it is not the reality tv deal they hoped would come of the hoax. >> today the couple will plead guilty in the case and could be going to jail. abc's clayton sandell reports from denver. >> reporter: they wanted a reality show. now richard heene and his wife high yaum mayumi face the reality of probation and possible jail time for staging an elaborate hoax, claiming their 6-year-old son falcon had accidentally taken flight on this helium plan. we looked everywhere. he went inside just before it went off. >> reporter: the heenes at first denied the incident was staged. >> to have people say that i think is extremely pathetic. >> reporter: but their story unraveled after falcon made this comment on "larry king live." >> we did this for a show.

>> reporter: two days later, police say falcon's mother admitted gas it was all a lie. >> let's just say they put on a very good show for us and we bought it. >> reporter: according to his attorney richard heene will plead guilty to a felony. for attempting to influence a public servant. mayumi heene will plead guilty. the heenes were seen briefly at their ft. collins home thursday but were not talking. in a statement richard heene's lawyer said a plea deal was the best option for the family complaining the prosecutors forced a deal by threatening more serious charges against mayumi. she is a japanese citizen and if convicted of a felony might have been deported. the attorney for richard heene says in addition to probation the heenes could be facing jail time when they're sentenced in about a month. up to 90 days for richard and 60 days fare mayumi. clayton sandell, abc news, denver. overseas in peshawar, pakistan this morning. a suicide car bomb destroyed the main spy agency, iss. at least seven were killed and

35 injured. the iss plays a key role in fighting the taliban and the peshawar office is close to the tribal areas where the taliban is based. the taliban has claimed responsibility for an attack outside a key nato base in afghanistan this morning. police say a suicide car bomb targeted an international military convoy near camp phoenix. american and nato forces operate out of the base which is near kabul's airport. six people were hurt. president obama is arriving in japan this morning. the first stop on a nine-day tour of asia. >> air force one arrived in tokyo and the president has a full day meeting with the japanese prime minister about security and economic issues. he arrives there with his mind on another part of the world. ann compton is in tokyo with the latest. good morning, ann. >> reporter: hanging over the coming week here in asia, jeremy and vinita, is the question, what will president obama do about afghanistan? air force one stopped in snowy alaska to refuel and to give the

commander in chief his third chance in four days to speak directly to men and women in uniform. on his mind and theirs, the coming decision on deploying thousands more to combat duty in afghanistan. >> i will not risk your lives unless it is necessary to america's vital interests. and if it is necessary, the united states of america will have your back. >> reporter: his decision on afghanistan is taking time. president obama told his generals he wants more clarity on how american troops will get out, because the u.s. will not spend another eight years in afghanistan. also fueling the debate is the leak of a warning from u.s. ambassador karl eikenberry who is said to have deep concerns about sending more troops until president hamid karzai shows he will confront corruption in his

government and demonstrate he is a strong partner for the u.s. all this means it will be impossible for president obama to make any announcement about afghanistan during his coming week here in asia. jeremy and vinita? >> our thanks to ann compton in tokyo. it could be one of the biggest counterterrorism property seizures in u.s. history. federal agents say four mosques and a new york city skyscraper are owned by the alavi foundation. which is a suspected front for iranian government espionage. the buildings will remain open as the feds try to take control. the properties are worth over $500 million. the ft. hood shooting suspect has been charged with 13 counts of premeditated murder. if convicted, major nidal malik hasan could face the death penalty. he remains in a hospital in san antonio. president obama has ordered a review of hasan's contacts with people who have urged attacks on u.s.

he wants to know if intelligence on hasan was properly shared within the government. investigators say hasan could face even more charges. the man who beat to death a popular arkansas television anchorwoman has been sentenced to life in prison. the jury deliberated less than three hours before sparing curtis lavelle vance from the death penalty. he was convicted of murdering little rock anchor anne pressly in october 2008 as well as rape, burglary and theft charges as well. vance's mother testified she was an abusive parent on drugs. the remnants of tropical storm ida are more powerful than the actual storm when it was hitting the gulf coast. the mid atlantic states are getting more heavy rain, gusty winds and some of the worst flooding in years. the weather is being blamed for at least five deaths. a state of emergency has been declared in the cape may area of new jersey where three commercial fishermen disappeared after their boat sank. now to your friday forecast. that storm stretches north today bringing powerful winds, heavy

rain and coastal flooding from virginia to new york and parts of new england. the rocky mountains and cascades get up to 1 foot of snow today. rainy and windy in denver, seattle and portland. >> 53 in colorado springs. 47 in salt lake city. and 44 in boise. warmer in the middle of the country. 59 in omaha. 66 in kansas city. and 77 in dallas. new york climbs to 50. and boston is 48. well, an ohio school district has now declared a teen football fan out of bounds. >> eighth grader justin rear was suspended from school after showing up to class with this haircut. it's supposed to resemble a cincinnati bengals football helmet. administrators say his haircut is too distracting and violates the student code of conduct. justin's dad is standing by his son. insisting it is all about freedom of expression. >> justin says he will not change his hair to get back in class. when it grows out he plans to get another design. now, don't get me wrong, it's a terrible haircut.

>> right. >> but does he really belong being cked out of school? >> i have to agree with you. i have to say, i'm seeing this more and more. everywhere i go now here in new york, i see someone with a very odd, supposed to be something haircut. is this the new trend? maybe. i'll bet ocho cinco approves, though. he's a player on the bengals. >> oh. >> you probably knew that. >> oh, yeah. we'll be right back with more

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the target, a remote u.s. outpost. the date, july 13th, 2008. this video obtained by abc news via the nefa foundation. just a few hours earlier, taliban fighters on their way to kill american soldiers. they chat calmly on their radios. relax, brother, says one. they pray to allah. and then, as dawn breaks, the assault begins with a hail of gunfire. 150 taliban fighters disperse in 30 groups of five against a few dozen u.s. and afghan soldiers. taliban commander malvi abdullah organized the attack. local residents tipped us off about the base, he claimed. we attacked from four sides. gunfire and rocket-propelled grenades set the outpost on fire. u.s. troops are pinned down around their humvees. tracers mark their return fire into the hills. taliban fighters move closer,

eventually right inside the camp. and the fighting finally ends. nine americans are dead. today, say u.s. commanders, the taliban are even more powerful. showing their strength across the country. from another deadly ambush on a u.s. outpost near the pakistani border this summer, to a raid on a u.n. compound in kabul in october. increasingly the taliban is establishing a presence around the capital kabul. today if you travel a few miles down this road you're entering taliban-controlled territory. taliban fyingers patrol the roads openly. and in the mountains, they're training to fight. the taliban have a ready supply of thousands of recruits for a holy war against the u.s. military. i want all the foreigners, one told us, to get out of our country. back in nuristan, two days after the attack the outpost was abandoned along with other small bases. here, taliban fighters are seen making their way inside one of them. they have vegetables, he said, a clinic.

this is where they had their motors. as part of the strategy review the u.s. is now considering moving away from guarding unpopulated areas. in part because of deadly attacks like this one. jim sciutto, abc news, kabul. >> while the u.s. is still struggling with that decision we've learned as of this morning germany is planning on sending 100 more troops into afghanistan by january. >> we've been telling you about president obama meeting with his war council. he apparently has two questions. how soon can afghan troops be adequately trained? and what is the exit strategy there? he wants a firm date as to when the u.s. commitment can end. also apparently has concerns about hamid karzai. >> understandably. when we return the obsession over vampires and the widely successful "twilight" series. >> and a town that is really banking on that success.

i know you're excited about i know you're excited about this one. >> yes. >> a week from today the latest installment of the "twilight"

saga opens in theaters. it's called "new moon." >> i'm not really excited, i've never seen any of this or read the books. the movies follow the wildly popular book series. more than 70 million copies have been sold. >> neil karlinksy checks out what's become the "twilight" obsession. >> reporter: you don't have to be into teenage vampire love stories to understand that the opening of the latest "twilight" film, "new moon," is going to be huge. "twilight" is the story of a high school girl named bella and her forbidden love affair with a teenage vampire named edward. >> kiss me. >> reporter: for actor robert pattinson, it's been a life-changing role. even going to the store has become fodder for the tabloids. >> escaping. you have to be sneaky about it. but, i mean in general, people don't know where you're saying. it's generally fine. walk with a bit of a limp and stuff. kind of got -- walking down the

street and you're all right. >> i'm not scared of you. >> reporter: kristen stewart plays bella, the teenager obsessed with the ultimate bad boy. >> i still trip out every time i see a group of like 2,000 screaming girls. you can't deny that energy. >> reporter: but "twilight" has created another star you may be less familiar with. in the very northwest corner of the country where tall trees grow through the mist and rainfall makes for a constant soundtrack to a slower way of life. an obscure logging town called forks has just entered the twilight zone. >> under constant cover of clouds and rain there's a small town named forks. >> what are your thoughts about forks, washington? >> i've never been there. >> you've never been there. >> no, i'd love to. >> reporter: "twilight's" story takes place in forks, known as one of the single rainiest places in america with an average rainfall of 10 to 12 feet a year. marcia bingham says the town revolved around two things before "twilight" came around.

logging and rain. today she's more interested in "twilight's" latest which includes a little romantic tension with a native american kid named jacob. >> jake, run! >> reporter: who just happens to be a werewolf. >> i like the fact that jacob is warm and hot and very much in love with her. he's loyal. >> warm and hot? marcia, you're sounding like a schoolgirl, what's going on here if. >> that's what stephenie meyer's books do to me, and to hundreds of thousands of others. the 67,000 who have come through our visitors' center this year, for instance. >> reporter: 67,000 tourists in a town with a population of 3,192. and pretty close to zero tourist industry until now. today, from the gas station to the motels, even the local keymaker is selling "twilight" goods. and then there's this strange item at the hardware store. >> we get people from scotland, china, japan, europe, all over europe.

>> they want to put on -- >> they want to put on bella's vest. >> reporter: the vest is small time. meet annette root, queen of the twihards. >> i picked up and moved my entire family to forks. i gave up a job i'd held for 18 years, stepped out into something i know nothing about, took a big leap of faith because i loved it and i believed in it. >> reporter: she bet her entire life on "twilight," setting up phenomenally detailed stores that sell everything from fangs to jewelry. and she's launched the first forks "twilight" tour. though competitors from california are close on her heels. >> this is the cullen house over here. check it out. we'll go to the high school next. >> reporter: the tour takes twilighters around town to such hot spots as the high school and police station. julia karizam is unabashedly proud of her obsession. she was anxious to take a picture at the town's high school where "twilight's" edward and bella fell in love.

how many times have you read these books? >> a few. >> reporter: nearby in la push, along the spectacular shoreline featured in the story, we met three twihards who weren't on the tour but were here from austria. what are your friends and family going to say? when you've been on the tour, been to the place where "twilight" happens? >> my little girl is going to be so jealous. she loves the books so i need to bring her stuff from here. >> reporter: most of the locations are made up because even though the story is set here the movie wasn't filmed in forks. is it strange having people from around the world come to your house every day and take pictures? >> it is pretty weird. but it's wonderful. >> reporter: and it's drastically changed the reality of life in forks. is "twilight" tourism keeping this town going right now? is that the main industry? >> it is our biggest industry at

the moment. we've got vampires and werewolves. >> reporter: and the saga is far from over. neil karlinksy from forks, washington. >> the other hunky kid from the show, my wife has a crush on him, i did the math and he's young enough to be my son. >> she's not the only one with a crush on him.

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and your home is "febreze fresh." [ doorbell rings ] swiffer gives cleaning a fresh new meaning. finally this half hour, we are talking about vacation destinations. when i think of them i think of the greek island santorini or cabo san lucas, mexico. >> as we hear from caroline holly of the bbc, some iraqis want to change all of our minds. >> reporter: wish you were here? there's certainly plenty to see in iraq but is it really a holiday destination? since 2003, baghdad has been virtually a byword for violence,

for bombings and kidnappings. security has improved. but hundreds of iraqis are still being killed every month. this was the result of a recent double suicide attack. no wonder the foreign office advice is to stay away. for the first time in over a decade, iraqi tourism officials are attending one of the world's most important travel events. they don't have a stand here yet, but one day they too hope to be giving out glossy brochures to a country that takes pride in being the cradle of civilization. >> the infrastructure of the hotels and the other sites must be rehabilitated. now we are encouraging investments, we are encouraging foreign companies to come to iraq. >> reporter: other countries have recovered from conflict and turned their image around. take croatia. here they are successfully advertising their wares when, during the balkan wars of the

1990s, a visit would have been virtually unthinkable. now packaged holidays to croatia are very popular. some of iraq's historic sites have been damaged. though the mosque in samarra is now being rebuilt. american troops are no longer stationed at babylon. travel insurance for iraq might be pricey to reflect the risks but there's no doubting the country's tourism potential. security, of course, permitting. caroline holly, bbc news. >> you know, we actually live in one of the top ten fall vacation destination locations, new york city. >> i believe it. >> when you work here it doesn't feel so much like a vacation. >> you need a vacation from this vacation spot from time to time. she's right, some places have turned it around. croatia, beautiful, the dalmatian coast is close to venice, it's not unlike venice. so, yeah. some of these places can really turn it around. there's so much history in iraq, so much biblical history too. >> it would make for a

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\s suspect charged. the accused ft. n, the penalty ay face, and diplomatic goals. president obama's visit to japan today and the plan to improve relations with a key ally. then, suspect charged. the accused ft. hood gunman, the penalty he may face, and the deepening investigation. sample scheme. so much free stuff offered online. >> it said free. all you have to pay is shipping and handling. >> why it's too good to be true. it's friday, november 13th. >> from abc news, this is "world news now." >> good morning and thanks for being with us on this friday the

13th. i'm vinita nair. >> i'm jeremy hubbard. president obama is arriving in japan this morning. the first stop on his nine-day tour of asia. >> the president will tackle huge economic and security issues during his visit. yunji de nies is traveling with the president and joins us from tokyo. good morning, yunji. >> good morning, jeremy and vinita. the president as you said comes to asia with a very broad agenda. he'll be discussing global security, the economy, and climate change. the war in afghanistan will also be front and center. in fact, afghanistan is expected to come up in talks with the japanese prime minister later this morning. the president will thank the prime minister for japan's recent pledge of $5 billion in economic assistance to afghanistan over the next five years. on his way here, president obama stopped in alaska to meet with american troops. he is still deciding whether or not to send more american forces to afghanistan. he promised the soldier a clear

mission if he decides to send them into harm's way. >> i want you guys to understand i will never hesitate to use force to protect the american people or our vital interests. i also make you this promise. i will not risk your lives unless it is necessary. to america's vital interests. >> reporter: the u.s. military will also be top of mind for the president and the prime minister here in japan. there is tension here locally over the presence of over 47,000 american troops. many japanese would like to see america's main base in okinawa relocated to a more remote site and the overall number of forces reduced altogether. white house officials say they do not expect any resolution on this issue while the president is here in japan. the president will be meeting privately with the prime minister for an hour and then the two will hold a joint news conference. jeremy and vinita? >> let's talk about what the white house does expect. the president has a busy week of meetings with leaders ahead. what can we expect to come from all this? >> reporter: well, jeremy, it's

very interesting. because he'll be visiting as i said four countries. he's meeting with a bunch of leaders. not just from asian countries but also from russia. but there's really no concrete goals on the agenda. it's really more diplomacy. we're not expecting any vital agreements. so the president is more sort of meet and greet and increasing, of course, those relationships. but there are no sort of tangible thinre reporters are still eagerly looking to som abc's yunji de nies in tokyo this morning. thanks, yunji. in northwest pakistan a suicide car bomb has destroyed the regional headquarters of the country's spy agency. at least seven people were killed. most of them were guards at the ss fy. today's attacis the latest of many on security laun o militants in bo the taliban are taking responsibility for a suicide car bomb attack in afghanistan this morning. the blast struck an international convoy of civilian

vehicles outside a nato base staffed mostly with american troops. six people were injured. the convoy was near camp phoenix, a logistics base for nato forces just outside the capital. the federal government wants to seize a muslim foundation's property ansset authori the alavi foundation isnt for iranian government spies in the u.s. the assets are estimated at more than $500 million. the feds want to take over mosques in maryland, new york, californa, tex also a virginia estate and a new york city skyscraper. the suspect in last week's ft. hood shootings has been charged with murder. a bigger question is why major nidal malik hasan was not stopped before he allegedly went on a rampage. john hendren reports. >> reporter: the alleged ft. hood gunman could face a death sentence. >> u.s. army major nidal malik hasan has been charged with 13 specifications of premeditated murder. >> reporter: while intelligence officials knew hasan was in touch with radical islamist

websites they concluded the communication was explainable by his research and nothing else derogatory was found. hasan, who cleared out his apartment before the shootings as if he had no plans to return, apparently did little to hide his fervent islamist views. abc news has learned he printed up this private business card that proclaimed him soa, an acronym on jihadist websites of soldier of allah. signs like that and hasan's ability to clear a federal background check to buy two guns at this shop have led to congressional investigations including a senate hearing next week. >> a lot of this is just the bureaucracy not functioning. while there are probably -- you'd have to change the law to prevent someone who's a person of interest on a terrorist list from buying a gun. >> reporter: one of two civilians credited with ending the shooting spree told abc news the ongoing investigation limits what he can say. >> what i can say is pretty much, he shot and we shot and then we secured him and then saved his life. >> reporter: authorities are

still considering whether to charge hasan with a 14th murder. over the death of the unborn child of a pregnant soldier. john hendren, abc news, washington. the federal government is beginning its new fiscal year with another record deficit. the october shortfall was nearly $176.5 billion more than economists expected and the worst october ever. it follows a deficit of nearly $1.5 trillion in the last fiscal year. tax collections for companies and individuals were down last month. that's one reason for the shortfall. it used to be tropical storm ida, now it's november nor'easter and more powerful than ever. at least five deaths have been blamed on the storm which packed stinging rain and 60-mile-an-hour winds along the eastern seaboard. a search was called off for three commercial fishermen after their boat sank in rough seas off cape may, new jersey. here is a look at your friday weather. the nor'easter triggers record high tides and coastal flooding from virginia north into new england.

stormy out west with rain and up to 1 foot of snow in the cascades and rockies. warmer than normal in the middle of the country. >> kansas city climbs to 66. omaha 59 today. indianapolis 62. a wet 51 in baltimore. 50 in new york. 48 in boston. phoenix hits 73. sacramento 61. seattle 46. they got down to the bare essentials in australia in hopes of stripping las vegas of a world record. >> more than 200 women and men traded in their business suits for -- >> ooh-la-la. >> skimpy swim wear and strutted through sidney's financial district. well, never mind. their goal was to break the guinness record for the biggest swimsuit parade. unfortunately they were a few speedos short. >> even though they didn't make it into guinness the scantily clad crowd still had lots of fun and raised money for charity at the same time. we can't make mean comments for charity. >> okay. i was going to. >> save it for me in the break. >> say something about nair and

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as you know, pornography is a tremendous multi billion dollar industry. it's also exceptionally dangerous to the people in front of the camera. >> actors face the constant risk, aids and other sexually transmitted diseases. lisa ling has a look at efforts to keep the industry clean. >> see? darren james. >> reporter: darren james once led a busy life as a porn star. at the height of your career how many women were you having sex with? >> sometimes it could be ten women in an orgy scene, nonstop. >> reporter: all part of a job darren did successfully for nearly eight years. until 2004 when darren got the call all porn performers dread. >> i get that call, everything stops. i had the virus.

my whole world just crashed. >> reporter: so, you don't know how you got infected? >> i don't. >> reporter: did you infect people? >> three girls. i knew them. i felt bad. >> reporter: darren's hiv infection shut down southern california's porn industry for a month. and when his identity as the original infection was made public, he says the isolation that followed drove him to attempt suicide. >> i know porn ain't the best business in the world but it's all i had. >> reporter: darren is now campaigning to make condom use mandatory in adult film. he predicted years ago his infection would not be the last the industry would see. in june of this year he was proven right. >> an actress who was determined to be hiv positive. >> serious news coming out of the adult movie industry -- >> reporter: it was the first publicly confirmed hiv infection in southern california's porn industry since the outbreak caused by darren's case in 2004. the scare again raised questions about the safety of pornography made without condoms.

>> what do you see the most of? >> chlamydia. chlamydia sticks to everything. >> reporter: sharon mitchell runs the adult industry medical health care foundation, a.i.m., a clinic set up by the adult industry to serve performers. >> we're not the condom police, we're not the set police. but we do make it possible for everyone to exchange clean bills of health. >> reporter: the recent hiv infection of an adult performer was detected at this facility. unlike darren's case, mitchell says this time the contamination was contained and no other performers were infected. l.a. county officials say more than 3,600 cases of chlamydia and gonorrhea were reported among adult film performers since 2004. mitchell says she observes a lower incidence rate of stds among adult performers than is found in the general population. >> i have tried every possible way to convince a lot of companies to use condoms. still a lot of people don't like to use them. >> reporter: condoms may be life savers. but inside the porn industry they're widely viewed as profit

killers. >> the truth is that when people watch adult movies they're watching it for the fantasy. they don't want to see condoms. condoms in adult movies just don't sell as well. that's a fact. >> reporter: steve hirsch is the ceo of one of the country's most prolific producers of pornography. testing in the industry is voluntary but vivid requires its performers to provide clear tests from the a.i.m. clinic every 30 days in order to work. so how does this process work? what do you do before every shoot? >> i go to talent search. today we're using nikki jane. i type in her real last name. it brings up her current results and it tells me when it was collected and when it expires. so long as i know it's within the 30 days, it's not expired, i can use that talent. >> i know that when you show up you have to show your test results. and the guy you're about to have sex with also had to do so. but what if he slept with someone last night and got

infected? >> exactly. nothing is 100% safe. >> does it make you nervous? no, i don't think about that. >> reporter: while some companies say they offer female performers the option to use condoms, inside the industry the decision to demand condom use is widely viewed as a choice to not work in porn. if you wanted to? >> no, because if you wanted to, you wouldn't hardly get any work. the whole point of the porn industry is to see something raw and to see something really sexual. you know what i mean? people should be using condoms in their real life but when they see it on the screen they don't really want to see that. >> reporter: mike weinstein runs the aids health care foundation. he believes the graphic nature of porn shoots invites risk. >> there are definitely sexual acts that are being depicted on film for the benefit of the fantasy of the audience that are much riskier than what normally goes on in people's bedrooms. you may have multiple performers at the same time. that increases the risk of transmission.

>> reporter: the aids health care foundation is suing los angeles county's public health department and major porn producers to force condom use on sets. so you believe that every performer should be mandated to wear condoms on-set? >> i believe that every performer wants to wear condoms on the set. >> reporter: but hirsch and others inside the industry say a law requiring condom use would only push production underground. he says the known infection numbers prove that the current voluntary testing system works. >> we're talking about 250,000 scenes have been shot since 2004, and one person has tested positive. i like our track record. >> reporter: darren james still believes that's not good enough. >> why? was it worth it to go through what i went through in the only way to solve it is condoms. period. there's no way around it. >> reporter: lisa ling in los angeles.

when we come back the former miss california's live primetime tantrum. >> and an ugly situation for a former supermodel.

the other day on abc news they showed a report about that hair-pulling soccer girl. did you see that story? i think she's still angry. take a look, take a look. >> elizabeth lambert's back-punching, air-pulling antics have soccer fans worldwide now blogging, what was she thinking? abc news, new york. >> such a hard pull and there's even a facebook fan page. i shouldn't say it's a fan page, it's actually an anti- -- >> oh my gosh. vinita? are you all right? let me grab your pony tail. >> she's little but she hits hard. >> who was that? that was her from new mexico, right? she travels fast. >> yes.

so exciting. >> vinita on jay leno, wow. >> we were on, you were on too. >> yeah, but my head -- >> for once i had a speaking role. >> you get more money from the union for that i think. >> we have lots to talk about "the skinny." i want to get right into it. the first story is unbelievable. cindy crawford and her husband rande gerber the victims of a $100,000 extortion plot all surrounding their 7-year-old daughter and a racy photo of the young girl. the background on the story is that in the photo the young girl is bound to a chair in revealing clothing. she's also gagged. >> what? >> the picture was taken and somehow an acquaintance of the couple's former nanny threatened to sell the photo. so initially he meets up with rande gerber and says something along the lines of, i feel uncomfortable, i want to return this, and mentions he's broke. rande gives him $1,000. he comes back, i have more copies. $100,000. i know you're wondering, why was this photo taken in the first place? the victims have since

learned from their daughter the nanny took the photograph as part of a purported cops and robbers game. so they think that the nanny may or may not have been in on this. you know? because she initially, the nanny is saying she was going to give it to them as part of a joke and then realized it was in bad taste. >> i can't imagine what parent would think that was a joke. >> yeah, and right now rande gerber and cindy crawford say of course they intend to pursue any and all available legal action against anyone who aids in all of this. >> that is horrible. >> the name of the guy is edis kayalar. >> hm, wow. >> not a nice guy. >> there he is. well, did you know larry king is inappropriate? he is inappropriate. that's what carrie prejean is saying. never mind she's the one with the sex tape and naked pictures circulating on the internet, he is the one that's inappropriate. she's got this new book out and she was on "larry king live" and he dared to ask her about why she settled her lawsuit with the

miss california pageant. >> you sued the pageant after they fired you, they counter sued, then you accused them of a number of things including religious discrimination. >> you know what, larry? >> why settle since you had a fight to carry on? >> everything that was discussed in mediation, i'll say it again, is completely confidential. >> the agreement discusses the motive behind why each party agreed? >> larry, you're being inappropriate. you really are. >> as you can see she takes the mike off and she prepares to leave. i believe that she actually ended up sticking around, because of course she had a book to sell. so larry king, stop being inappropriatewi >> interesting, and i do see your point. >> okay. >> did you even hear about this, that wynonna judd apparently dissed taylor swift who is america's sweetheart? >> no, i hadn't. >> before the cma awards which were two nights ago, right? two nights ago. >> yes. i think. >> she made a comment to "usa pwhashe d yort pofbge ithin

time is god's way oepinpevfromna it's too much of a good thing tooon of course she was talking about the possibility taylor swi might win enterth now she's publicly on her website sayi did that, my intent w atg ar ta andtrib to c industry she does not want to be kanye, in other words. >> all these stars are jealous. don't hate on talor! you've gotta wash this whole room! let's wash it with febreze! whoa! [ sniffs ] [ male announcer ] for all the things that you can't wash, wash it with febreze.

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in this lab demo, one sheet of bounty extra soft out-scrubs two sheets of the bargain brand. bounty extra soft. here's some stories to watch today on abc news. president obama meets with japan's prime minister today hoping to improve diplomatic and economic relations with the long-time ally. the president is spending the weekend in singapore. expect guilty pleas from the colorado couple accused of pulling off the hoax involving that runaway balloon. richard and mayumi heene face various charges. it is sentencing day for former congressman william jefferson of louisiana. prosecutors say he took hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes and hid some of the money in his freezer. finally this half hour, when a free sample is not actually free. maybe you see offers on the

internet for product samples for nothing. >> some of them are legit. but as abc's carla wohl found out, many of them are downright scams. >> reporter: elaine sawaya was snagged by an onlane ad offering a free trial for the anti-ageing pill. >> it said free. all you have to pay is shipping and handling. >> reporter: the sample came and shortly after, another bottle. and then her credit card bill. with two $80-plus charges. >> and i went ballistic. because i had opened it up while i was in the car and i saw. what? >> reporter: she's not alone. lured by the promise of weight loss, emchanel pinkett ordered a free offer. the company billed her credit card for $200. >> no matter what time i called it said the same recording. i was never able to get through. >> reporter: free sample ads have invaded the internet. >> just complete your details here and discover the power of nature. >> reporter: but you may not see buried in the fine print, you're signing up for continuous shipments of the product and

that none of the news organizations listed prominently on the sites endorse the merchandise. to give you an idea just how sneaky some of these sites are, check this out. on a site for acai slim i claimed to be 7 feet tall, weigh 50 pounds, and said i wanted to drop to 30. it determined that i was a perfect candidate for the product. we tried contacting several of the companies to no avail. federal and state law enforcement have gone after similar websites and still thousands of consumers continue to file complaints. >> it's really become a game of whack a mole trying to keep these websites down. you'll have one taken down and another one will be up next week or in a couple of days. >> reporter: southwick says consumers should beware of any trial offer. as these women learned, they can be costly in the end. carla wohl, abc news, los angeles. >> i can tell you from knowing karla she doesn't need to lose any weight despite what that computer calculator said. these sorts of scams are the sort of thing you get that bill

and it makes you want to pull your hair out, doesn't it? it makes you want to -- can't we can never be too careful when giving our kids over-the-counter cough and cold medicines.

i'm chandra wilson, and i'm a mother of three. children's cough and cold medicines are safe and effective, but like all medicines, they can have real risks if misused or stored incorrectly. research shows that most overdoses from otc cough and cold medicines happen when parents give the wrong dose or kids get into the medicines. here are a few simple rules all parents should follow when treating their kids with otc cough and cold medicines. always keep medicines out of the reach and sight of children. never give more than the recommended dose, and always use the enclosed measuring device. do not use these medicines to make your child sleepy, and follow new recommendations to not give otc cough and cold medicines to children under the age of 4. as always, if you have questions, talk to your doctor. to learn more, visit otcsafety.org, because as parents, we're in charge of our kids' health.